You're Friends with Li Ye? Why Didn't You Tell Me!

"Good thing I could pay with contribution points and Spirit Stones together. Otherwise, I really would have had to think twice..."

After bidding farewell to Old Man Luo and Niu Ba, Li Ye returned to his residence. Even now, he clutched his Storage Bag, still feeling the sting of the expense.

He knew a Cultivation Method like this was worth a great deal. Out in the wider world, a mere fifty Spirit Stones would never have been enough to buy it.

Only sect disciples received such a low price when learning it themselves.

It was just that Li Ye was still far from wealthy, and the pills he refined could not yet fetch much. He was still laying the groundwork for his reputation, and had simply grown accustomed to pinching pennies.

"At the initial stage of body cultivation, there's not much need for things that replenish Qi and Blood. Even though I still can't refine Qi and Blood Pills, a hundred strands of Blood Li Spiritual Essence should be enough..."

Li Ye took out the Jade Slip containing a copy of Elephant Armor Force and began studying it.

He had already skimmed the beginning before paying and swearing the oath. He had even taken care to find the other four Cultivation Methods on the second floor and look through them as well.

In the end, he found that things were just as Niu Ba had said.

Among the incomplete Cultivation Methods, one called Wood Kui Body was better suited to him, but it was far too badly damaged. Even the introductory portion available for preview was shrouded in clouds and mist, seemingly riddled with errors and omissions.

Li Ye considered his luck ordinary. A stroke of fortune like a chosen son of fate picking up a flawed Cultivation Method for a bargain and finding another way to make up for its deficiencies would most likely not fall into his lap.

Rather than aiming too high, he was better off making use of a complete Cultivation Method within his reach.

He studied it carefully, and time flew by. Only after two hours did he rub his eyes and put down the Jade Slip, somewhat weary.

Elephant Armor Force had three layers in total, corresponding to the three minor stages of Qi Refining.

"At the initial stage, the practitioner uses fist techniques alongside circulating Law Power to stimulate the body and help it adapt. Once past the introductory stage, the body must be beaten and tempered, supplemented with medicinal baths. Keeping Qi and Blood replenished produces even better results... until the first layer is mastered!"

"As for what follows, the expense is even greater..."

Li Ye shook his head and could not help smiling bitterly.

"The path of body cultivation can only be built by piling up resources! Only those with considerable wealth can practice it. Its reputation is well deserved!"

But if that were not the case, given that everyone knew how body cultivation aided Foundation Establishment, why would there be so few body cultivators in the cultivation world?

If he had not taken over a large expanse of spirit fields, continuously gaining experience points alongside Blood Li Spiritual Essence and drawing close to raising his pill-refining skill another level, he really would not have had the confidence to continue cultivating it.

"Still, though it consumes plenty of resources, its effects are extraordinary... Never mind that, once mastered, it can lock in Qi and Blood and prevent further decline, so advancing age will no longer affect Foundation Establishment."

"By then, I'll also be able to refine a strand of elephant demon Essence Blood for my own use. It won't show itself normally, but once activated, it will grant a corresponding boost and send my combat strength soaring!"

With both potential and combat strength like that, it was worth the extra cost!

Li Ye had thoroughly worked out the introductory fist techniques and how to coordinate them with his Law Power. He knew them by heart.

He got straight to his feet, removed his outer robe, and walked into the small courtyard outside.

His breathing gradually steadied. He took a solid stance and began executing the movements, one punch and kick at a time.

Though he moved slowly, he made each movement as precise as possible, each one brimming with a sense of immense power.

The Law Power within him circulated with his movements, stimulating his flesh and blood and bringing about changes.

After only a few movements, Li Ye's breathing grew heavy. Beads of sweat the size of beans rolled down one after another, leaving mottled damp patches on his clothes.

For a beginner, this was the most dangerous point.

If he failed to adapt to this kind of training, and the circulation of his Law Power fell out of step with his punches and kicks, his Law Power could go astray and cause internal injuries!

Fortunately, Li Ye's Law Power was now pure and refined, and he could control it at will. Though this way of circulating it was unfamiliar, he was able to keep it in step.

He gritted his teeth and persevered until he had completed the entire fist routine. By then, sweat was pouring off him like rain, and his clothes were soaked through.

The muscles all over his body slowly rippled, and his Qi and Blood surged with life. It was as though a brand-new door had opened within his body!

Once his breathing had settled, Li Ye slowly sat down and summoned a strand of Blood Li Spiritual Essence, immediately beginning to refine it.

Like Jade Sprout Spiritual Essence, it was pure in nature, but its scent held a delicate fragrance mixed with the smell of blood.

He drew it into his belly and refined it. Most of it turned into Qi and Blood essence, merging into every limb and bone, where his ravenous body swiftly absorbed it.

In the blink of an eye, Li Ye, who had only just practiced Elephant Armor Force for the first time, could clearly feel that his body and Qi and Blood seemed to have grown a little stronger!

"Blood Li Spiritual Essence really didn't disappoint me..."

Li Ye wiped away his sweat, excitement flickering in his eyes.

"With its help, I'm confident I can master the first layer faster than the manual describes!"

Zhang Liangfu carefully tended a spirit medicine before him, his expression tense. He barely dared to breathe.

Only when everything was in order did he slowly cover it with loose soil. Then he finally stood and let out a breath.

"Working in this spirit medicine garden really is so much harder than working the spirit fields outside..."

Picking up the towel draped around his neck, Zhang Liangfu wiped away his sweat and sighed from the heart.

The Spiritual Qi here was indeed denser than outside. Simply being here, tending Spirit Plants and using Law Techniques each day would bring a slight increase to his cultivation.

But the farming duties here were also more difficult.

The Spirit Plants he had to tend were countless times more precious than the spirit rice he had grown before. If too many were damaged, the disciples could even be punished.

Although Zhang Liangfu had received plenty of pointers from Li Ye while he was still working the spirit fields outside, he had never actually handled Spirit Plants himself. He had theory alone, and turning it completely into a foundation of his own would still take time.

As a result, he could only be more careful.

"I wonder how Junior Brother Li is doing now. I heard he caught the eye of an elder and became the Spirit Plant disciple for the spirit fields at that elder's cave abode..."

"That's practically ascending to heaven in a single step, isn't it? Junior Brother Li really is extraordinary..."

He had also wanted to visit Li Ye and ask him for a few more pointers.

But Li Ye's status had risen considerably compared to his own, and things were no longer as equal as when both of them had worked the sect's spirit fields.

Even someone as forthright as him could not help hesitating now, worried that Li Ye would think he was deliberately trying to curry favor and would not want to be disturbed.

"Hey! Old Zhang, come give me a hand!"

A shout from a spirit farmer disciple at the edge of another field suddenly jolted Zhang Liangfu out of his tangled thoughts. He hurriedly called back,

"Coming, coming!"

Now that he was here, with low cultivation and skills that were nothing special, Zhang Liangfu would be in a subordinate position even when befriending the other spirit farmer disciples.

If he wanted a few pointers from them, he naturally could not avoid serving as free labor.

Zhang Liangfu was already used to all of this.

He hurried over to the field and set to work with his head down, following the disciple's directions.

Suddenly, he heard the faint sound of a lively commotion and people talking near the entrance to the medicine garden.

To Zhang Liangfu's surprise, the noise drew closer and closer, seemingly moving in his direction.

"Senior Brother Yao and Senior Brother Gu are back! Their skills are among the best of us, and both are already close to the second tier!"

The spirit farmer disciple in front of Zhang Liangfu looked up and could not help showing his surprise.

The two names sounded somewhat familiar, Zhang Liangfu thought silently, but he did not look up to see. He simply concentrated on the work at hand.

"Hmm... why are they coming our way?"

The disciple muttered in surprise again, his voice rapidly growing quieter.

"Is Junior Brother Zhang Liangfu here?"

A deep, hearty voice rang out. Zhang Liangfu froze, and saw the spirit farmer disciple in front of him hurry to reply,

"Yes, he is!"

"Old Zhang, get up, quick! The two senior brothers are here!"

He patted Zhang Liangfu on the shoulder and half-pulled him to his feet.

Zhang Liangfu looked at the smiling young man in short work clothes and the rugged, burly man before him, utterly at a loss.

The young man in short work clothes took a Jade Slip from his Storage Bag and held it out.

"Junior Brother Zhang, I'm Yao Shaohui, and this is Senior Brother Gu Daojin... Junior Brother Li asked us to pass this on to you."

"From now on, if you have any questions, feel free to come to either of us!"

"Junior Brother Li..."

Zhang Liangfu clutched the Jade Slip, unable to keep from staring blankly.

The disciple beside him frowned slightly. "Junior Brother Li... could he mean Li Ye?"

"That's right!" Gu Daojin nodded, looking the man over with a somewhat unfriendly expression.

He knew perfectly well what went on in this Spirit Plant garden!

The disciple was immediately flustered by that look and turned to Zhang Liangfu to protest,

"Old Zhang, you're friends with Li Ye? Why didn't you tell me!"

If you had, how would I have dared order you around like that!

"Hehe..."

Zhang Liangfu merely shook his head and smiled sheepishly.